Marjoram Oregano Origanum
vulgare
A perennial, often bushy
herb with erect, reddish, square stem branched above. The leaves
are oval, opposite and stalked. Both the leaves and stems are
hairy and dotted with glands. The two-lipid purplish flowers are
arranged in dense cymes, forming terminal panicles, and have
conspicuous purplish bracts. The fruit consists of four nutlets.
All parts of the plant are pleasantly aromatic.
The flowering stems are used medicinally. The constituents
include 0.4 per cent of an essential oil with thymol as its main
component, also bitter compounds and tannins (8 per cent). These
substances give Marjoram astringent, expectorant, antispasmodic,
antiseptic, mild tonic, stomachic and carminative properties. It
is used in herbal tea mixtures to treat stomach and gall bladder
disorders, diarrhoea, coughs, asthma, nervous headache, general
exhaustion and menstrual pain. Externally Marjoram is used in
gargles, bath preparations, liniments and inhalants.
Marjoram is a favourite kitchen herb, especially in Italy where
it is used to flavour pizzas and spaghetti dishes. It has a
stronger taste than Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana).
Marjoram is native to Europe and grows wild on dry sunny slopes,
hedge banks, roadsides and in grassland, usually on lime-rich
soils. It is locally common in England and Wales but rarer
farther north. It is also cultivated commercially in many
countries but most supplies are still collected from the wild in
the Mediterranean region. It is grown on a small scale in
Britain. The generic name, Origanum, comes from the Greek words
oros a mountain) and ganos (= joy, splendid), after the
attractive appearance and scent of the flowers and leaves and
after the natural habitat of the plant in mountains in Greece and
other Mediterranean countries. Marjoram used to be considered a
remedy for all manner of complaints and was also a strewing herb.
The plant is widely used as a culinary herb and remains a
favourite herbal remedy.
Flowering time: July to September